Month: December 2016
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Cheat Codes and Modern Gaming

Once a common feature in many video games, cheat codes have seemingly disappeared from the mainstream gaming scene. These helpful tools were meant to make a game more accessible to those that may not have had the skill to beat the experience as intended. Or for some that just wanted to have some fun after beating the game. As time went on, developers slowly stopped including these in their games and not many gamers have questioned why. Cheat codes can still be found in some rare cases but for the most part these unique workarounds are almost extinct.

Cheat codes are split into many different categories that would change a player’s experience depending on how they wanted to play. Some codes were intended to make the game simpler, they would give the character unlimited health or lives and make them invincible. Other cheats would make an experience tougher by giving the enemies better weapons or increasing their aggressiveness. In a lot of cases cheat codes could fundamentally change a game experience by replacing character models or adding in content that didn’t make the final cut.

The Early Days

During the early Nintendo days, it was common to see a game with cheat codes. Without the internet readily available, players would have to experiment with different button combinations to find the hidden gems. After discovering a code the only way it was shared was between friends or in the occasional gaming magazine. Eventually books were made that contained a list of games and their corresponding codes. Taking it a step further were pieces of tech like the Game Shark or Game Genie. These tools would essentially mod your game on the fly and were typically frowned upon by developers. This did not stop thousands of people from modding old school console games and making awesome workarounds the original creators never intended. For example, throwing a Game Shark into an old school Gameboy and modding Pokemon let the player get unreleased monsters like Mew.

When the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii were released these easy to use mod tools disappeared and supported cheat codes were slowly being phased out. This could have been for many reasons, one being that games were becoming easier. With the internet becoming a larger gaming resource, gamers could look up guides and “how to” videos. The internet also increased the competitive nature of the industry. Gamers could now compare high scores and compete in online multiplayer matches and cheat codes would ruin these experiences. Achievements and trophies also saw life during this era. These bragging rights are show-offable milestones that have a specific task and value accompanied with them. Typically a player is unable to earn these awards when a cheat code is used, so most would avoid the use of them all together.

Slowly Fading Away

As the years went on, it seems that many developers took note of their fan base’s hesitance to use the cheat codes and stopped including the option. This could also be because story became a much bigger part of games. Games aren’t sprites running across a screen anymore, they are fully fleshed out worlds with epic stories attached to the experience. Maybe game creators fear the game could be broken by the use of potentially toxic codes. Although games like Grand Theft Auto still embrace the retro cheat code.

The new age cheat code seems to be mods, not like the ones mentioned earlier that were accessed by a device. These mods are created by hard working coders that will design their own experience inside a game. Many developers support mods, especially on PC and will release development kits to the public so that they can create all they want with no restriction. The mod community is slowly making its way to consoles with the help of Bethesda and their games Fallout 4 and Skyrim. Hopefully more developers add mod support to their games and gamers can see a new cheat code revolution.

It would be awesome to see more games include cheat codes. Making videos showing off wacky experiences would be great but it is not hard to understand why developers wouldn’t make them an option. It can be scary to let someone experience a game differently than originally intended. This can draw unwarranted criticism but ultimately I think more would appreciate the extra option.

The Last Guardian

This beautiful game offers an exquisite journey nearly every step along the way. From the environment to the creatures, The Last Guardian was surely an interesting game to say the least. Opening with nearly no reason to why your character woke up next to this winged beast. The game begins.

The Last Guardian delivered gorgeous art work right off the bat. From the opening cutscene to the first environment, the game had character. As stated above, the game started out with next to no backstory and a very vague objective. This is a common theme throughout the game. However, as the game progresses, the story that eventually makes its way to the surface is absolutely stunning.

Dialogue is interesting and vague, as with most of this game. The use of subtitles helps immerse the player in the three-dimensional world filled with beasts and children that can fall from an incredible height. Seriously, the fall damage is crazy forgiving.

Controls are The Last Guardian’s biggest downfall. In the beginning it felt as though the game may be unplayable, after a frustrating few minutes that subsided. Climbing is an essential part of this game, whether it be on a side of a building or on Trico, it’s made extremely difficult by the wonky controls. The camera angles and the limited control the gamer has over them can lead to some unfortunate moments in what should be a fantastic game.

Progression

Making your way through each room and area is entrancing. This is the main grind of the game, move forward and figure out how to continue on. A series of puzzles, enemies and events stand in the player’s way. The puzzles are all relatively the same, the variables becoming more difficult as the gamer progresses. Enemies consist of the ‘Armored Knights’ and offer some challenging adventures throughout the game.

Trico is the focal point of this curious little adventure. Interacting with Trico and learning its emotions is a critical aspect of The Last Guardian as a whole. As ‘The Boy’ and Trico’s relationship grows the incredible companion offers even more amazing cinematic moments. Trico also brings an additional element to the game, it’s a complete wildcard. ‘The Boy’ doesn’t know anything about this creature, it was also a little violent when they first met and it’s a damn 100+ foot high cat, dog, chicken monster! If this thing wanted to, it could bite ‘The Boy’ in half.

Overall The Last Guardian was an interesting art piece, offering cinematic wonder each step of the way. The controls hold it back a little bit, but not enough to ruin the game. The game is also in cinematic mode throughout, so it becomes incredibly easy to get completely immersed in this beautiful story. If you’re looking for an action packed, fast paced adventure, this game isn’t for you. Looking for breathtaking artwork and an emotion fueled, ambiguous story to get lost in for hours, The Last Guardian may be your choice pick.

The Last Guardian was one of the most anticipated games of 2016. This adventure game follows the adventures of a boy and his dog-bird-cat creature. Waking up in a grove next to a monster your civilization has labeled “people eater”, is never a good situation but our hero makes the best of it and a new friend in the process. You (‘The Boy’) and Trico (the beast) need to figure out puzzles, battle knights, and traverse the environment to get the boy back home. The Last Guardian is one of the best games to come out this year but has a few things holding it back such as a wonky camera and awkward controls.

Join us as we dive into this world Team Ico has designed. In this video we show off the first 20 minutes of the game so that you guys can see if the game was worth the 9 year wait. The video starts with Mack waking up in a strange land next to his new best friend/butterfly addict. Our adventure continues with a lot of laughs and insight into Trico’s serious insect problem. Watch as we fall in love with a monster and satiate his hunger as he satiates our lack of lightning powers.

We hope you all enjoy our trek through this magical land filled with magic, mystery, and butterflies… Seriously there is like a f****ing ton of butterflies. Make sure you keep up with our play through on our official Gigamax Youtube Channel and click that subscribe button so you know exactly when our next part is up! Also take a look at our Twitch Channel where you can get a live look at not only the latest video game releases but also plenty of Indie game coverage as well. Thanks for watching and stay tuned for more videos!

No Man’s Sky was an ambitious project by developer Hello Games. This space exploration adventure was met with mixed reviews by both critics and players. While it was praised for its relaxed atmosphere, many believed that it was not what the developer had promised. While we hear at Gigamax thoroughly enjoyed the game, it is hard to deny that the final project looks very different then what was shown to the press. Creatures do not interact with the environment, the story is not nearly as epic as they let on and it is completely devoid of any kind of multiplayer. Whether you loved this game or hated it, Gigamax is here to show you it’s latest Foundation Update!

Join us as we travel planet to planet building bases and going over what’s new in this game changing update. We start our journey in space and show you how to set up your own homestead in No Man’s Sky. We also go over the different tools in the base building arsenal. Unfortunately Gigs did not have the credits needed to purchase a freighter but once he is done saving we’ll have a video of that ready for you guys!

We hope all of you enjoy our relaxing look at the No Man’s Sky Foundation Update! Hopefully Hello Games keeps releasing substantial updates to their game. Make sure to check back here at Gigamax when new updates are released because we guarantee a video will be up shortly after. Also check out our Youtube Channel where we cover all the latest in game releases. Our Twitch Channel is also pretty sweet, this is where you can get live footage of not only the latest releases but plenty of indie game coverage too!

2016 was a beautiful year for videogames, many highly anticipated titles were released as well as some hidden gems. It seemed as though every week had a big title come out, in fact with so many releases it can become very hard to keep up with the hits and the misses. Here at Gigamax Games we believe that a good game is comprised of many different aspects. Each game is a work of art and has its own personality. Trying to select only 10 that stood out to us this year was a difficult task, but overall it was a fun look back and we had to nitpick to find the best of the best. So without any more ranting, here are our favorite games of 2016.

XCOM 2

This top down tactical RPG was a breath of fresh air for real time strategy fans. The popularity of the first game left big shoes to fill and this game certainly filled them. From the start, it is established that you will not be fighting with the same strategies used in the first. XCOM 2 makes the player think like a guerrilla fighter facing an enemy much stronger than themselves and with far greater numbers. With a non-optional permadeath feature, creativity and quick decision making is essential. We love this game because it doesn’t hold your hand and rewards careful planning and patience in a way that is rare in today’s market.

Far Cry Primal

It is rare to see a first-person game deviate from being just another shooter. Far Cry Primal doesn’t just stray from the path, it walks all the way back to the stone age. 10,000 B.C. was a big one for mankind and Ubisoft throws you right in the middle of it. The player takes control of a caveman trying to get revenge for a tribe that has taken him in. This game stood out because it made the bold move of taking a semi-realistic look at life in Mesolithic Era and relied heavily on melee combat. It did not stray from the Far Cry formula but ultimately the unique location and plot made this game stand out.

DOOM

A beloved series that has stood the test of time, DOOM got a reboot this year and it was spectacular. Slaying demons has never felt so right and this game makes sure the carnage never stops. Many fans were nervous when the reboot was announced and rightfully so. This action staple has been around since the early 90’s and is beloved by many. To everyone’s delight DOOM managed to maintain a retro feel for series veterans while also making adjustments in all the right places for newcomers. A first-person shooter with non-regenerative health and guns you don’t reload is an almost extinct style. This game stood out by daring to challenge the genre norms and restored confidence in developers that the classic FPS feel is still a viable option.

Dark Souls 3

Difficult games have a niche following that typically won’t reach very far. Dark Souls 3 tears down that barrier,almost as well as it destroys a gamers free time. This game is an infamous term in the gaming industry, even those that aren’t enthusiasts have heard of the series and that its insane difficulty. Dark Souls 3 managed to live up its name and upped the difficulty even higher. Most impressive this time around was the amount of casual gamers it got to attempt the unforgiving challenge. This game makes the list because it not only built a beautifully obscure world, but it managed to welcome a ton of newcomers while also being as unwelcoming as possible, and that’s fascinating.

Overwatch

A multiplayer hero based shooter with a ton of character and characters. Overwatch was an instant hit, taking the competitive gaming scene by storm and establishing itself as the new standard for a multiplayer game. Critically this game did amazing and it deserved the recognition. Blizzard managed to combine teamwork, hectic gameplay and an interesting world in a package that appeals to casual and hardcore gamers. They continued to impress by supporting the game after launch with a ton of free content which shows no signs of stopping. Overwatch makes the list because of Blizzard’s unrelenting stream of free content updates as well as the awesome fast paced gameplay.

Abzu

Not every game needs to be about murdering someone, some games can build a beautiful world and let the player enjoy a wonderful story without combat. Abzu starts you as a lone diver in the middle of a vast ocean,and throughout the course of the game it becomes so much more than that. As you swim through the story, interacting with marine life big and small, you learn a lot about the world without so much as a word spoken. The player is simply tasked with making it to the end and is never forced forward leaving plenty of time to get lost in its gorgeous setting. Abzu stands out because it manages to get you emotionally invested in a world that has no dialogue and offers an experience for those who love to game but need a break from the violence typically associated with the industry.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

The last entry in a series that almost every playstation owner has experienced. Uncharted 4 was an amazing end to Nathan Drake’s story and wrapped it up before growing stale. Huge set pieces and hectic firefights constantly appear and unexpected twists keep the story interesting. Drake has the most to lose this time around, this can be felt throughout the game. Situations that old Nathan would’ve run into with a smile are now faced with hesitance. This is why the game resonated with us, it tells a relatable story about growing up and taking responsibility for your actions. Uncharted 4 successfully finished Nate’s story while simultaneously making him a more relatable character with real world problems.

Pokemon Sun & Moon

Sun and Moon were one of the most anticipated games to come out this year. This time around Game Freak went to great lengths to appeal to both old fans and newcomers. Removing a ton of the convoluted systems from the series, Sun and Moon is still Pokemon at it’s core and that’s a good thing. Gone are the days of HM mules, confusing pc’s and weakness memorizing. All of those common inconveniences have been overhauled to make a streamlined experience. Newcomers will find the game accessible and veterans will be surprised by the copious amount of references to the first game. Pokemon Sun and Moon makes the list because it shows that the developers are listening to the fans and are finally willing to start making changes that have been asked for since Red and Blue version.

Battlefield 1

World War 1 was a devastating time in history that changed the world. This monumental event is rarely covered in games but something tells me that is going to change. Battlefield 1 dared to be different this year. While other first-person shooter developers were making space combat games, Dice went back in time. It felt amazing to finally play a competitive shooter without wall running as this game relies on your marksmanship and survival instincts. Online battles are intense and require teamwork to come out on top. Destructible cover makes the battlefield feel alive and every bomb, bullet, and vehicle transforms the landscape a little more. The campaign also does a great job of educating players on the different sides of the war. Told through a series of vignettes, players take control of different soldiers spread out in the various conflicts that made up the Great War. Battlefield 1 makes the list because it took a risk in a market that was pointing toward the future and moved it forward by going to the past.

Final Fantasy XV

2016 saw a ton of amazing games come out but none struck us quite as well as Final Fantasy XV. 10 years in the making Square Enix finally delivered and it was certainly worth the wait. It starts out as a simple journey but turns into a quest of friendship, love, and redemption. From the moment you meet the main characters it is obvious they all have very unique personalities. Before long you’ve become emotionally invested in their story, each character has a ton of dialogue and will remark on almost every situation. The new battle system is flashy and keeps the player engaged, while the open world immerses you even further. Our playthrough was quick and even that took 40 hours, with plenty of side quests ignored their, is easily another 30 hours in the game. Final Fantasy XV is our game of the year because of how quickly it captivated us. The minute we picked up the controller stopping wasn’t an option. It is rare to see a game make you care so deeply about a group of virtual people. This game is going to become a cornerstone of the FF series, right next to VII, and will always be a Gigamax favorite.

The Franchise

Dead Rising is a title that has been around since the launch of the Xbox 360. This franchise has had a cult following from the time it released with many fans praising its stressful gameplay and the B-Movie style story. While Dead Rising 4 definitely removes a lot of the functions that made it unique, it manages to remain a fun zombie slaying romp through a familiar location. This sequel is by far the largest in size and is the perfect zombie slaughtering playground for all those undead hunters out there.

Right off the bat Dead Rising 4 establishes itself as different from the other entries in the series. Frank West, the game’s protagonist has a different voice actor this time around, who has a more mature sound more befitting of the character. In an unexpected move the game starts with the player being thrown into a stealth driven mission that involves more story and character building then the game has seen before. The story is still as convoluted as they get, but luckily the game never takes its silly plot too seriously. NPC’s you meet all have wacky personalities and Mr.West always has a sassy comment at hand in case things get too heavy. These jokes are a nice touch, they establish Frank as a seasoned veteran of the zombie war and fit well with the tone of the game.

Frank is lucky to have the zombie hunting experience this time around, thanks to the power of the Xbox One more zombies can fit (and die) on screen then ever before. Combat feels fluid and fun, with plenty of undead murdering tools at the player’s disposal. A reworked inventory system also ensures that Frank can carry a wider selection of gruesome weapons. The inventory is now separated into four distinct categories melee, ranged, thrown, and health. This consolidates items and allocates a button on the controller for each category, meaning that players can swap weapon types on the fly without navigating their entire inventory. Healing items have been streamlined as well, they’re now used by pressing down on the d-pad and Frank doesn’t stop moving when one is used. Combo weapons also make a return to the series but unlike the previous games, using a non-combination item is a viable option. Cutting, shooting, and exploding your way through the open world feels great, which is important considering the scope of the seamless map.

Dead Rising 4 is set in Willamette, Colorado. Fans of the series will recognize this as the location from the original game. Unlike the previous entry, the entire town of Willamette is at your disposal instead of just the iconic mall. Unfortunately, the shopping center is not the one returning players remember from Dead Rising, that one was destroyed after the events of the first game. This isn’t a bad thing though, as the rebuilt mall is much larger and offers a ton of unique themed areas with a bunch of weapons to experiment with. Vehicles make a return and operate similarly to the ones in Dead Rising 3. Getting into a vehicle and driving through the zombie hordes feels great but removes any sort of challenge from navigating the open world. Another vehicle like addition to the game is the exosuit, which Frank equips and operates like a mech. The suit offers a power trip that makes for a fun but brief change of pace while making your way through the town of Willamette.

Hardcore fans of the series will be disappointed by the drastic changes made to the time and questing system. Dead Rising 4 has completely removed the time mechanic and gives players complete freedom over where and when they want to complete objectives. Escorting survivors has also been taken out, instead randomly generated distressed citizens will pop up and the player can divert from the main path to take care of the person that needs help. After the survivor is saved they will find their own way back to a safe house. This all ties into the one major flaw of the game, the difficulty is just not there anymore. Previous releases were unforgiving and gave the player a real sense of accomplishment when they finished it was over and finally reached the true ending. Although removal of the hardcore elements could be interpreted as Capcom trying to make the game accessible to a wider audience.

Overall Dead Rising was a very enjoyable experience and is definitely something fans of the series should check out. Before purchasing, keep in mind that if you played for the time management and survivor escorting then this is not the Dead Rising for you. This game makes a very entertaining zombie sandbox and will satiate that zombie murdering itch that we all need to scratch sometimes.

eSports

For those who are wrapped up in the competitive world of gaming, it may be a surprise to learn that eSports is still very much in its infancy. The concept has been around for decades but recently it has skyrocketed in popularity. We here at Gigamax Games want to make sure that our site is a place where gamers can go for not only the latest news and developments, but to keep up with their favorite eSports teams and latest announcements.

Our content contributors range from fans to professional and ex-eSports gamers, and they’re here to deliver the community exactly what they want to see. Highlights, articles and live coverage all can be found at Gigamax games, soon.

The video game industry is taking off and covering eSports will be a critical aspect of this evolution. There have already been amazing events held all over the world with gamers from nearly every nation on Earth. Fierce competition and amazing talent have culminated into spectacular events. Larger venues and a wider expanse of eSports games to choose from have really opened up this segment of the industry. It’s about that time where the world takes it seriously and Gigamax Games is here to do its part.

The Report

Our coverage is expected to begin in early 2017 as we construct our electronic sports section of our website. We are currently looking for more *Content Contributors* who would like to offer their input and have a platform to develop and distribute their own content. Credit will be given to the content creator and they will earn a spot on our content contributor page!

Are you an eSports fan or even a professional gamer that would like to offer their own input? Send us an email at Gigamaxgames@gmail.com and we can discuss how you can get involved! You can find out more about our Social Community of content contributors, (Here). We are also excited to start covering some of the members of the professional video gaming community as well. If you’re a gamer that would like a spotlight piece on Gigamax Games, we would be excited to get in touch! Thank you all for stopping by, hope you’re all excited as we get ready to take Gigamax to this rousing new level.

Final Fantasy XV’s opening screen makes the ambitious claim that it is designed for newcomers as well as veterans to the series. This open world RPG has been in development for 10 years so it is no surprise that developer Square Enix is trying to reach as many players as possible. It is obvious from the start that the developers put a lot of care and thought into the universe this time around. Attention to detail is one of the many praises I can offer to this game that quickly captivated me right after the intro.

The focal point of the story is the protagonist, Noctis and his group of misfit heroes as they set off on an epic journey to reclaim the throne from the evil kingdom of Niflheim. I immediately felt invested in this group of friends and their charmingly unique personalities. Each one of the party members feels like a living person, this is due to the constant dialogue and character building Square Enix carefully put into the game. The characters all have their quirks from Prompto’s love of Chocobo’s to Ignis’ skill for cooking. Your party will remark on what’s happening in the overworld on a moment to moment basis, even sidequests are ended with a conversation about the mission. Ironically enough Noctis may be the most bland of the group but his combat style certainly makes up for his lack of personality.

Combat is handled much differently in this Final Fantasy then it has been done in the past. In lieu of the typical strategic combat the series is known for, the developers have gone in a more action oriented direction. Purists will be happy to hear that if you’d like to play tactically that is still an option that can be turned on, this pauses combat in between hits and feels more like a classic Final Fantasy. Personally I had the flashy action combat on the entire time, making my experience feel similar to that of Kingdom Hearts. Each character has a unique fighting style and all of your teammates will interact during fights. Interactions can be as simple as shouting weaknesses or they can be high octane combo moves which inflict devastating damage. My one complaint about the action combat is that large groups of enemies can be very difficult to keep track of. A lot of unnecessary damage was taken due to my inability to see where my character was. This is only made more chaotic with your character’s insistence on teleporting from one side of the battlefield to the other with his warp ability.

The living open world adds a nice touch to the series and makes you feel like you are making a change to the kingdom. Sidequests litter the map and mini games are never too far away, leaving the player with a ton of distractions. In fact one of the biggest things I noticed about this iteration was how heavily inspired by western RPG’s it felt. Right from the start the map feels like something right out of The Witcher. This is certainly not a bad thing and the game is still very much a JRPG, but it is not hard to tell that modern RPG’s from the west have had an impact on the development team.

Traversing the open world is done mainly with your convertible, the Iron Regalia. This car serves as your trusty steed through the large expanses of the overworld map. Unfortunately this vehicle is only able to operate on paved streets while Chocobo’s or your feet are used for navigating off road areas. Eventually you get another mode of transportation that makes everything more convenient, but I won’t spoil that here. The Iron Regalia can become a tad monotonous after 20 hours of gameplay due to not being able fast travel all the time and some necessary drives can leave the player doing literally nothing for up to 10 minutes. This can be made a little more exciting by playing some of the CD’s that come loaded up in the car’s radio.

Music in the game fits in well with the rest of the series but it certainly doesn’t stand out as one of the better orchestras. Music queues can feel a little wonky at times but it does not take too much from the game. The car’s CD selection offers the choice of any soundtrack from the prior games or a couple of unique songs made specifically for the game by famous DJ’s like Afrojack. These songs feel a bit out of place but they are never forced on you, so it’s possible to pretend like they aren’t there. Overall when push comes to shove and the battle music kicks in, it does a great job of making the cool fights feel even more epic.

Final Fantasy XV does a lot to change up the series and in my opinion does it very successfully. With a cast of characters that is impossible not to get invested in, a battle system with very little shortcomings, a sprawling open world and enjoyable music this is one of the best Final Fantasy’s to date. This game goes above and beyond what I expected from it and truly immersed me in the world Square Enix made. I highly recommend this to any RPG/JRPG fans as this is a title that will definitely go down as a classic.